EARLY LEADER in the Harrison Turkey Day 5K was Taylor Davis, 15, of Naples. Taylor won his age class. (Rivet Photos)

HARRISON — As Josh Grenier jogged past the Long Lake inlet off Route 117, fog was still lifting off the cold lake and puffs of warm breath left the runner’s mouth.

Although temperatures were below the freezing mark on Thanksgiving Day, a hearty group of more than 65 runners and walkers braved the chilly morning to take part in the first St. Jude’s Turkey Day 5K race in Harrison. All proceeds from the race benefit the St. Jude’s Children Hospital.

Grenier won the race in 19 minutes, 38 seconds. The race started in front of the Olde Mill Tavern on Main Street, proceeded along Route 117 toward Bridgton, up Brickyard Hill Road, back onto Route 117 to Harrison, and down Tolman Road to the finish line at Greenwood Manor.

Age group winners were:

Taylor Davis, 15, from Naples

DRESSED FOR THE OCCASION are Bill and Marsha Wood of Harrison.

Joshua Tucker, 33, from Gray

Kevin Logan, 46, from Casco

Bill Grenier, 52, of Otisfield

Bill Wood, 60, from Harrison

Race participants included:

Kate Bonney, 18, Peru

Drew Cutter, 26, Gorham

Logan Hallee, 13, Harrison

Darcy Hamm, 38, Norway

Gavin Hamm, 10, Norway

Bob Hanby, 34, Greenwood

Meredith Hanby, 35, Greenwood

Erin Holden of Acton, Mass. heads toward the home stretch along Tolman Road.

Marcie Hilden, 31, Oxford

Erin Holden, 27, Acton, Mass.

Pam Holden, 55, Bridgton

Beck Holden, 27, Acton, Mass.

Bill Holden, 59, Bridgton

Paula Holt, 56, Harrison

Kevin Logan, 46, Casco

Cassie Martin, 27, Buckfield

Catherine McMahon, 68, Harrison

Alicia Sadler, 40, Norway

Aaron St. Pierre, 17, Winthrop

Sudeep Stauble, 17, Harrison

Allison Taber, 30, Harrison

Jenefer Timm, 31, Norway

Josh Tucker, 33, Gray

Sandy Washer, 44, Norway

Fred Washer, 45, Norway

Marsha Wood, 58, Harrison

Jacob Wilson, 24, Windham

Scott Burnhan, 55, Harrison

Lily Turner, 59, Harrison

Jen Meserve, 41, Bridgton

Tanya Deus, 41, Westerly, R.I.

Linda Robicheau, 65, Harrison

Leslie Hayes, 31, Bridgton

Beth Frechette, 46, Harrison

Becky Laperle, 31, Waterford

Mike Rosenbauer, 50, Harrison

Elizabeth Simmerman, 31, Bridgton

Stephen Simmerman, 33, Bridgton

Peter Merbach, 24, Platsburg, N.Y.

Angela Loveless, 31, Norway

Peggy O’Kane, 54, Winthrop

Ryan Silva, 9, Windham

Tracy Silva, 42, Windham

Mary Wassick, 47, Windham

Roberta Scribner, 24, Harrison

Cameron Meserve, 13, Bridgton

Colleen Farley, 29, Standish

Chris Farley, 29, Standish

Jessica DiBiase, 33, Harrison

Sarah Parks, 34, Bellingham, Mass.

Michelle Duncan, 52, Annapolis, Md.

Wendy Robicheau, 40, Norway

Alicia McGinnis, 35, Harrison

Kate Grygiel, 26, Harrison

Brent Grygiel, 31, Harrison

Sandra Richards, 51, Norway

Sterling Sherman, 47, Oxford

Keegan McGough, 8, Harrison

Brittany Paul, 23, Old Orchard

Brandon Allen, 25, Old Orchard

Marco Phillipon, 45, Allenstown, N.H.

Kelley Paul, 13, Naples

Sarah Paul, 15, Naples

Debra Paul, 53, Allenstown, N.H.

“We are overwhelmed with the turnout for the inaugural running of the race,” said race organizer Barb Stauble. “It just goes to show what people will do for a great cause.”

The idea for the race came from Stauble, Janet Guidi and Kate Tucker. The organizers found it difficult to predict how many runners would attend the first installment of what plans to be an annual Thanksgiving tradition. In the end, the proceeds from the race totaled more than $1,500.

“With the momentum and success of this year’s race, next year’s could be even bigger,” Guidi said. “Regardless of the number of runners, we’re so pleased to be raising money for such a worthy cause.”

St Jude’s treats patients from all 50 states and around the world and does it all for free of charge. St. Jude’s is a world-class hospital where researchers and clinicians work tirelessly to save the lives of children with cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude’s shares its research and cutting edge technology with physicians and hospitals all around the world and have pushed the overall survival rate for childhood cancers from 20% in 1962 to 80% today.

Stauble, Guidi and Tucker would like to thank The Village Tie Up, Crystal Lake Spa, Olde Mill Tavern, The Market Basket, St. Joseph Church Knights of Columbus, the Greenwood Manor Inn, the Harrison Fire/EMT Department, the Wassick family, Robert Mitten, Melissa Phillips and Adam St. Pierre.